Ratings

Spyro the Dragon is a 1998 platform game developed by Insomniac Games for the PlayStation. It stars the title character, a young purple dragon named Spyro and is the first in the series of Spyro the Dragon video games. In this game, unlike many of the later games Spyro cannot swim.

Gameplay

The game is made up of different levels (realms), all connected together by hub worlds (homeworlds). The goal in each homeworld is to collect a certain amount of items, be it gems, rescued dragons, or dragon eggs, in each realm in order to travel to the next homeworld. Each homeworld and its realms are progressively more difficult than the last. The first few realms are small fields with few ways to die, but they become harder later in the game. Many later levels focus on Spyro's ability to glide from platform to platform. Each homeworld contains an optional boss to defeat, except for the final homeworld where the boss is mandatory. Every homeworld (except Gnasty's World) contains a flying challenge level where Spyro's normal gliding ability is replaced with the ability to fly freely. The goal is to complete a certain number of obstacles (such as planes to blow up and rings to fly through) which each add a small amount of time to a countdown. Throughout the game Spyro's health is indicated by his small dragonfly friend named Sparx. When Sparx is gold Spyro is at full health. After taking a hit Sparx turns blue, and with another hit, green. Another hit and Sparx disappears leaving Spyro with only one hit left before the player loses one life. After all lives are lost the player must restart from the last save point. Save points are placed throughout each homeworld and are the locations of the stone dragons. Once a dragon has been released from stone it leaves behind a save point which is accessible for the remainder of the game. In order to beat Spyro the player must travel to the final homeworld, enter Gnasty Gnorc's lair, and defeat him. Upon Gnasty's defeat the player is presented with a closing cinematic and credits. Upon reopening the save file the player may now go to all worlds and realms in order to obtain each gem, egg, and release each dragon. Upon doing this 100% completion will be reached and Gnasty's Loot will be unlocked.

Plot

Before the game begins, the five Dragon families lived in harmony in their five worlds (these being Artisans, Peace Keepers, Magic Crafters, Beast Makers and Dream Weavers). Their lives were happy and peaceful until one fateful day when a news report takes place, where a reporter asks about Gnasty Gnorc, a villain. He is then described as 'not a threat' and 'ugly'. Gnasty Gnorc is apparently watching the interview live on television and is outraged. Gnasty Gnorc then attacks the dragon realms by using a magic spell that traps all the dragons in crystal, except for Spyro, who dodges the spell because of his small size. He then goes across the Dragon Realms saving the trapped dragons, who give hints and tips, battling bosses and collecting different coloured gems until he faces Gnasty in a final boss battle in the Junkyard World (or Gnasty's World.) After the battle, the end credits are shown and then Spyro returns to Gnasty's World. He is then greeted by a final dragon that says that the portal to the last level will not be opened until Spyro collects every single gem, egg and dragon in the worlds (100%.) If the player collected all gems, saved all the dragons, and rescued all the eggs, then an alternate ending is presented.